)(Master)(
Master has really changed since last season. The addition of Born Slippy to the roster is a great thing for the squad, if Slippy has even a fifth of his skills left back from Sundown, he'll be a powerhouse here. Crazy_Canuck, guns2 and Wish Master )!( are realible pilots, who have been on the squad for a long time and will be useful during the long season. The Real Picard is a well-known pilot from Chaos, best known for his kill macros, but how will he play in league? I expect Master to reach the playoffs, after that, everything's surplus.
Prediction: Playoffs, not much besides that though.
Ideal starting lineup: Born Slippy, guns2, Crazy_Canuck, Wish Master )!(
-BlitZed-
The squad no longer has DeathKnight. A good or a bad thing, remains to be seen. BlitZed looks a lot like what it has for several seasons now, a small roster of experienced pilots. Madboy (ex-Intelli) is a great player and can decide matches by himself. White_Devil has returned to the squad and powered with Blinky, the returning ChronicFlash, Kentasaurus and Pretty Hate Machine, BlitZed once again looks like a playoff squad.
Prediction: Playoffs, maybe a couple of rounds in.
Ideal starting lineup: ChronicFlash, madboy, Blinky V1.01, White_Devil
Alcoholism
A squadname loved by many. Meditation (aka GuruMeditation, ex-Birds of Prey) put up his own squad in the beginning of last season and after a tough season, the squad finished in the bottom of AML. This season Guru has found his old squaddie Lord Schnitzel from BoP (actually, my ex-squaddie too, from The BodyCount -nt-), the squad can now at least challenge the weak squads of AML, but Guru's still far from a playoff spot.
Prediction: Maybe a couple of victories.
Ideal starting lineup: Lord Schnitzel, Seal, Photograph, Meditation
Birds of Prey
The squad is slowly building up steam. Very slowly. It has taken almost three years, but now I'll finally list as one of the top squads in AML (they were a contender last season too, but I didn't predict, so..). da Zillaman has returned to the squad after hopping a little. Sumi now captains the squad, Salami Swammi joined BoP from Master last season, Dagger is one of the most terribly lagged players I've ever seen and he uses his ability well. Skysthelimit is a solid player and so is Darkmazda. El Tigro is now rostered (he might have been last season, not sure), but he won't most likely be seen playing much. It seems that his squad has just overgrown his own skill-level, unfortunately. Anyway, BoP will be a playoff squad for sure. Losing Fatal did weaken the squad quite a bit.
Prediction: Deep in to the playoffs, I don't believe in a championship though.
Ideal starting lineup: Dagger, Salami Swammi, Zilla, Skysthelimit
BlackNike
I've heard a lot of critisism about BlackNike starting in AML and that they should be in IML. The squad does have a solid roster with a lot of good players, but I don't see any reason why they would be overpowered for AML. A.W.O.L has gathered a good roster. The White Rose (AML champion with Unforeseen last season), SonyRed (ex-IML with DragonWings), the solid QA Man and ManDude and finally the suprise-prone 4saiken and a tool. The squad does have the playerbase for anything, but they'll have a bloody road to the championship, that's for sure.
Prediction: Deep in to the playoffs.
Ideal starting lineup: SonyRed, The White Rose, a tool, A.W.O.L
Blasphemy
Blasphemy's still around, good. They've improved from a semi-good-AML-squad to a top-AML-squad. I don't see the hyped ZdeathX on the roster, don't know what's going on. CptChaos is a lagged euro, Felony a solid player, Fresh, Nalin, Sagum and Smash are capable of playing good matches. Overall Blasphemy still has a good roster and can play good matches on good days.
Prediction: A couple of rounds in to the playoffs.
Ideal starting lineup: Sagum, CptChaos, Felony, Nalin
BUNNER
Well, BUNNER is facing a tough season with their small roster. Tritoch is now a BUNNER too, so that can turn things around a lot. Chiefjoi's boys will once again turn some heads.
Prediction: The Champions if they try, somewhere else if they don't.
Ideal starting lineup: Tritoch, d i g i, Chiefjoi, Suppoko
Disavowed
Sephiroso> We're back. Now four players fill up the Disavowed-roster: Sephiroso - no comment, Gold - excellent player on a good day, Kurtz - played in encore in IML, a solid player, M.D. - possibly the best player of this season's AML, possibly not. This squad's success in this season's AML depends greatly on who they recruit, who shows for matches and finally, how will they play in matches.
Prediction: Hard to say, mayhaps a playoff squad?
Ideal starting lineup: Four players on the roster -nt-
Dissent
Someone might say... s-s-stacked. Dissent really looks like a combination of...well, I better do this player by player. Addiction King, Aggro and Soul Preacher, three good players from Warlords. hedcase8, the powerhouse weasel from Prevail, Fatal, one of the better pilots of last season's AML, ex-BoP, Miner, last season in Unhallowed, Pro, before that one of the best players of AML in Unforeseen. The other players have various experience from league. Dissent will be one of the teams to beat this season. Definately a championship-contender.
Prediction: Very deep in to the playoffs.
Ideal starting lineup: Miner, Fatal, hedcase8, Aggro
EASED IN
Elite name. No players. Ban.
Prediction: No idea yet.
Ideal starting lineup: Everyone on the roster.
EpiK
Much has changed from the days of the hedcases. EpiK now fields a small lineup of players with different backgrounds. Demi God has played in various squads, at his best he's a good solid player, GOD!Killer, passplay and Wado Kai are old school EpiK (or so I remember), RichterScale was one of the top players in Master before joining EpiK last season. Tioga has been in several squads in the past, he was in EpiK before and he returned last season. EpiK will have a tough season again, the best they can do is a playoff spot.
Prediction: Eliminated in playoff round one.
Ideal starting lineup: Tioga, Demi God, passplay, RichterScale
Exodus
The long-time Chaos squad now returns to league after a couple of seasons of "quiet-time". I feel that their return to league will be a hard one. AC is a good player, so is BD-Agger, Dark Storm used to be a sysop in Euro and AML, Link3000 can create some kills. However, Exodus lacks the star player(s) that is/are necessary to win some real matches. They will take some victories against weaker squads, but even playoffs seem to be behind a rock.
Prediction: Around the infamous playoff-line.
Ideal starting lineup: AC, BD-Agger, Link3000, PRINCE OF PAIN
Ferrum
Semi> Ferrum is pretty much DragonWings 2. Partly correct, the squad has three pilots from the old DragonWings squad. They are Don Cherry, Gunstar and Syntech. Don Cherry's a good shark and Gunstar and Syntech can play good matches. Tenet and Zash are decent players. Ferrum will be a challenger for a playoff spot.
Prediction: Around the infamous playoff-line.
Ideal starting lineup: Don Cherry, Tenet, Syntech, Zash
Fly-Ndeath
No players on the roster. I Fly-Ndeath to be dropped soon.
Prediction: No idea yet.
Ideal starting lineup: www.no-pilots.com
Harness
Harness played some excellent matches last season and now they're back. I have to admit that I don't really know the pilots on the squad, but I'm hoping that Wasty can lead his squad to another good season. Good challengers are always needed.
Prediction: Playoffs.
Ideal starting lineup: Wasty, Khadgar, Die, RedT
Idiosyncrasy
Like from Harness, I don't really know anyone from Idiosyncrasy except for scheme. First season squads are hard to predict, they might win a couple of matches.
Prediction: No playoffs.
Ideal starting lineup: scheme, KraziKarl, Isolation, R
Integral
After a tough last season, Integral is now returning with with renewed strenght. Again, not many pilots I know, but Pikel, Praetor and Perceptor played in Spies back when that squad was near the bottom of the league. Integral might fight for a playoff spot this season.
Prediction: Around the playoff-line or a bit lower.
Ideal starting lineup: Something Dutch, Pikel, Nutin but a G Thang, Praetor
Llamasery
Llamasery returns after a season's break. They've lost Ispi in the progress and that will definately be a setback. If I don't remember incorrectly, Llamasery made the playoffs last time they played and that will be the goal this season too. I think Cosine Moron and Masta_67 have played for Master in the past (could be wrong), Nechronos was in ShitFuck, Crunchy and Razar are now back as the solid leaders of Llamasery. Again, a playoff spot is the goal.
Prediction: A round or two in to the playoffs.
Ideal starting lineup: Razar, Crunchy, Nechronos, StormKat
Mutiny
Mutiny has some experience stacked inside. The addition of Jocker from encore to the squad is a good one, he's an active and solid pilot who will definately be useful. cdb!, Sacre, Testify and Zide are all players with experience, they can create and score kills. Killdawg is ex-Master. Geneva has impressed me lately in practices, he has some potential. Mutiny might go far.
Prediction: A couple of rounds in to the playoffs.
Ideal starting lineup: cdb!, Testify, Sacre, Geneva
Nightbane
War Zone squads that come in to league haven't often been succesful. RAF fought in Pro for a couple of seasons, but that was mostly due to ZombieBobie's great performances. Nightbane is one more WZ squad to the list and time will tell if they'll have any success. Scipio is a player who the squad can base a lot on, Lessa has quite a bit of experience, KyleC, Conroy and DaZeD are long-time WZ players, who will have to play good if Nightbane is to make it anywhere.
Prediction: Below the playoff-line.
Ideal starting lineup: Scipio, Lessa, Conroy, Capitalist Defender
No Data
Well, stacked isn't really the word for No Data, but the squad does look strong. Cose used to play for Master and he has improved a great deal since then. sKink has been one of the top players in AML for the past seasons and will probably continue on that road. Lensman, Nerve Impulse, Meningit, PanTau and borAX are players who can settle matches on a good day, but choke badly on the other. Tin Cup is a good javelin, he has played a lot of excellent matches in the past. Zeromus won the AML championship as the captain of Unforeseen last season, he has played Pro for EGO and BloodLust in the past, but didn't see much playing time last season. No Data can go far if they have luck on their side. The team cannot afford many chokes however.
Prediction: One of the championship contenders.
Ideal starting lineup: sKink, Tin Cup, Zeromus, cose
Oracle X
Stoned sounds just like Spy -nt-. I don't think adding DeathKnight to your roster is something what you should brag about. USS Evader can be excellent on a good day, but he can choke badly too. Anamalech played well in the first preseason match, we'll see how he continues. AnalIntruder is always a great choking potential.
Prediction: A couple of rounds in to the playoffs.
Ideal starting lineup: Anamalech, USS Evader, Stoned^Stupid, DeathKnight
Starfire Elite
Writing about your own squad is something what several predictors want to avoid. So do I, but I should mention a few things...losing Lincke is a downgrade, but powered with starpuff and MfA, Starfire Elite can go far.
Prediction: A couple of rounds in to the playoffs.
Ideal starting lineup: starpuff, MfA, valence, deaths' razor
Starseed
Some experienced players in the Starseed roster. In my opinion, Dezacrator is one of the best players in the league, inactivity has just hidden that in the past seasons. BRASIL, Diesel and Reaem have played for Damn Yankees/Unforeseen in the past. Starseed will possibly make the playoffs, but don't think they'll get much more.
Prediction: Playoffs.
Ideal starting lineup: Dezacrator, Airwalkr, Reaem, Coastal
Victimise
So little time and so little to say. I don't know many pilots from Victimise's roster. They obviously lost quite a bit of talent after last season and that might create some problems. And...well, someone said that aPathy* starting is big trouble and...well, we'll see.
Prediction: Around the playoff line.
Ideal starting lineup: Vorbis, DAW, Nkosi, aPathy*
Warlords
Ow, some good news and some bad news. Warlords lost some players. That's the bad news...now the good news. They got Bad-News. I've seen this guy and he's good and active too. Tarnished Silver is a solid player, so are Fuzzy and Euripedes, while both pack a choking potential. Bearded Dragon is also mentionable, he's solid. Warlords has been around for a long time and I don't see the squad falling apart just yet. They have to make the playoffs, the history of SubSpace demands it...
Prediction: Playoffs.
Ideal starting lineup: Bad-News, Euripedes, Tarnished Silver, Bearded Dragon
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